Yellow watchman goby

[brett559]

I've never kept a goby before. Looking to add some yellow to the tank. I've have a few open-water swimmers already (mystery wrasse, chromis, candy-striped hog), so I'd like to add another ground-dweller.

Yellow watchman goby? Would my flame hawkfish cause a problem, sharing the same space in the tank?

I'm not looking for a sand-sifter, and my research shows that YWG don't sift much.

Any experience with these fish? Do they sift?

Another option would be a midas blenny. I've kept those before.

 

[ThRoewer]

YWG don't sift sand. Like their name implies they just watch out for threads while their buddy pistol shrimp does the "mining" work on their burrow.
I would always keep them with an Alpheus shrimp, preferably a tiger as they are the best match in size. They are also easier sexed than the randalli shrimp
It is also best to keep the gobies in a pair.

I had them in the past and just got 2 tiny babies from BZ.

 

[brett559]

I tried adding a big fire shrimp a while back - it didn't even reach the sand bed (mystery wrasse). So the shrimp is out.

Can they be okay without one?

 

[CoralNerd]

YWG, their personalities are too nutty for me. Prone to dart around when disturbed, also big on taking rides over the overflow.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I agree with Steve, YWG don't sift sand and they aren't that yellow. If you want a nice yellow fish get a Golden Midas Blenny.

 

[EDJFA]

I love my YWG, but the others are correct that you won't see the yellow very much. Once they establish a home base and carve out their little cave, they won't generally leave it. At least mine doesn't.

You might have better luck seeing him if you do pair him with a pistol shrimp. When mine shared a burrow with a shrimp, the goby was outside and visible more often.

They're cool fish, but if you're looking for that flash of yellow, there are much better choices.

 

[brett559]

Midas it is!

 

[ThRoewer]

If it is just for a yellow fish, why not a yellow assessor?
They are peaceful and calm and can get quite old.

 

[brett559]

If it is just for a yellow fish, why not a yellow assessor?

I have heard they are pretty shy. Looking for something a little bolder.

 

[johnike]

Great choice, Midas Blenny is a favorite here.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I absolutely love my Midas Blenny, he's so cool and a character too.

 

[CowDoc09]

I absolutely love my YWG's! They dwell in their burrow, but come out frequently.

 

[CoralNerd]

I have two yellow corris wrasse that look great in my tank.[emoji106]